Suitcase-holder for automobiles.



E. W. EATON.

SUITCASE HOLDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED 020.1.1911.

1,267,750. Patented May 28,191&

ELMER W- EHTON 61%: net,

ELMEB W. EATON. OF EMHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SUI'ICASIE'-HOLDE2 FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification ofiLetters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1918.

Application filed December}, 1917. Serial No. 204,869.

To aTZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER ll. Ea'rox, a citizen of the United States. residing at Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suitcase-Holders for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to means for holding suit cases or like containers on the running boards of automobiles, and the general object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is very simple, which may be cheaply made and which is extremely eflective for the purpose intended.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is of such construction that it may be conveniently carried and which is extremely compact, and in this connection to provide a device which is adaptable to carrying any number of suit cases and holding these suit cases firmly in place upon the running board.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile provided with my improved attachment;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the suit case with my attachment arranged to hold the case in place,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the running board showing the manner in which the straps are connected to the running board.

'Refeilrihg to these drawings, it will be seen that my improved construction comprises a plurality of brackets or yokes 10, which are each formed with eyes at its ends through which screws 11 may pass, the middle portion of each bracket or yoke being deflected outward for engagement with a strap 12. There are preferably four of these straps, one for each of the yokes or brackets, and the lower ends of the straps 12, as illustrated in Fig. l, extend downward around the deflected portions of the brackets and then extend upward and are returned upon themselves through a transverse band 13.-

By this means, the straps may be lengthened or shortened. I do not wish to be limited, however, to this particular means of attaching the straps 12 to the yokes or brackets.

Coacting with the straps 12 is a circular disk 14: which is preferably of leather having a diameter nearly equal to the width "of a suit case and to thi disk 14: there is attached a plurality of short strap sections 15 carrying buckles 16; The straps 12' pass through these buckles 16. Preferably the strap sections 15 are rivetedto the leather disk 14, as illustrated in Fig. 3. I do not wish to be limited to any particular means for attaching the strap sections 15 to the disk 14, however.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the brackets or yokes 10 are arranged in approximately rectangular relation and the strap sections 15, when thedevice is applied, extend at right angles to each other, two of the strap sections extending parallel to the running board and the other two at right angles to the running board. This, however, is a preferable arrangement. The brackets or yokes 10 may be arranged at any desired distance from each other, so that the holder may accommodate one or more suit cases or like containers. The suit cases may be either set up on end or disposed invthe usual manner upon the running board and the straps 12 may be taken up initially in the manner heretofore described and as shown in Fig. 4, and then the straps tightened by passing them through the buckles 16 until the suit case is firmly held in place upon the running board. It will be obvious that the straps 12 may be readily disconnected from the brackets 10 and that when so disconnected the holding device may be folded up into very small compass and placed within the car. The brackets or yokes 10 will project above the running board only a very slight distance. Many running boards are perforated and in this case the brackets 10 may be held in place by bolts passingthrough the eyes of the brackets and through the perforations of the runnin board and by this means the yokes or brac ets may be readily adjusted nearer to or -farther from each other to accommodate parcels or cases of difierent sizes.

The circular leather disk 1st will not scratch or otherwise mar the suit case r other parcel with which it engages and there will be no'strain on the suit case itself which would tend to rack it. The device is very simple, can be easily applied, may be Very cheaply made and, as before remarked, will fold up into small space for carriage when out of use. It will be noted from the drawing that the brackets are so arranged that one of the brackets projects out from the edge of the running board, two of the crack ets are disposed transversely of the running board Where they will not ofier any obstruction to the feet and the other bracket is disposed longitudinally of the running board but adjacentthe inner margin thereof, so that when the disk ll with its stops is removed from engagement with the brackets, the running board is left practically unobstructed.

Having described my invention what I claim is The combination with the runnin board of an automobile, of means for holding suit cases thereon comprising brackets attached in quadrilateral relation and having 1nedi ally disposed deflected portions, a disk of relatively flexible material adapted to be disposed on top of the case and having a plurality of radially disposed strap sections, buckles attached to said strap sections, and a plurality of straps engaged with said buckles and extending downward to the brackets, each of said straps at its lower end being passed beneath a bracket, then up wardly extended, the end of said strap being then detachably engaged with the body of the strap.

ln testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ELMER W. EATUN. /Vitnesses Vronnrn G. CAMPBELL, S. C. KEN ALL, 

